Electric signaling.



F. B. HERZOG, .DEGD.

11. 2311200, BXEOUTRIX.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZO, 1889.

1,068,387, Patented July 22, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD..WASHINGTUN, D. c.

t me.

FELIX BENEDICT HERZOG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; HENRIETTA HERZOG- EXECUTRIXOF SAID FELIX BENEDICT HERZOG, DECEASED.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22", 1913.

Application filed July 20, 1889. Serial No. 318,181.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX BENEDICT HER- zoo, Ph. D., a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signaling,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system of electric signaling, which includestransmitters at sub-stations, so organized that two or more may be setin operation at approxi mately the same time in such manner that nointerference will result between them when such stations are connectedtogether by only a single wire.

Various inventions have hereto-fore been made, claiming to prevent whatis known in the art as interference if several boxes are pulled at thesame moment; but I believe that before my invention no apparatus hasever been constructed whereby three or more, or practically anindefinite number of, stations on the same single circuit may beoperated at approximately the same time, and operated in the samemanner, as far as the operator is concerned, whether any station is atthat moment being operated or whether it is not being operated, and inwhich each signal operated will be correctly receivedat the centralstation, and in which if a number of these signals are set practicallyat the same time or within the same limits of time, all of such operatedsignals will be correctly received at the central station in sequence.

There are various apparatus which make it possible for a subsequentsignal not to interfere with a prior signal, and in which, if severalare set, then under certain conditions two signals will come incorrectly; but for the best results this is not satisfactory, and myobject is to construct a system in which the operator can have absoluteconcorrectly received, notwithstanding the contemporaneous actions ofother operators at their stations. I have devised various forms ofmechanismfor achieving this result, and do not wish to confine myself tothe form now chosen for illustration.

The drawing shows a diagram of the elements comprised at one of thesubstations as connected with the elements located at the centralstation; the first named comprising typically a break wheel and spindleNV (or an equivalent) driven by a motor (not shown) and normallyrestrained from operation as set forth below; the central officelncludes the signal receiving and controlling means also describedbelow.

As herein shown, the break wheel has a number of teeth, characterizingits location ates with a spring-actuated train in any suit able and wellknown inanner, as, for instance, in the manner shown in my Patent Theapparatus is set by the operator when he rotates the spindle clock-wise,and any suitable device may be used to cause or permit the separation ofthe contacts S and S which rotates the wheel, to press together thesprings S and S so that they shall be closed at all times, exceptingwhen this wheel has been rotated clock-wise in setting it;

the spring S being arranged to move away from its mate S when saidpressure is re- ;moved (suitable insulation preventing electricalcontact between the said spring S and .the ground Q, at the impingingpin P or otherwise being provided) or an arm may be used, as in my saidpatent No. 315,941, excepting that therein the normal position of thesprings is reversed; or this separation jmay be produced in any othersuitable manner. shown on the wheel W are all insulated there- .from.There is also a suitable magnet lV lwit-h adjuncts by which, at theproper in- :stant subsequent to the setting the trans- It is to be notedthat the three pins mitter may be released or caused to operate.

A transmitter of this general character I "call a Teleseme. fidence thatthe signal he transmits will be The apparatus shown in the figure represents one box, and there may be any number of boxes strung along theline, the last box terminating in a ground, or, if desired, in a returncircuit, but such return circuit is in no wise to be considered asnegativing the description of the system as employing only a single wirebetween stations, because the final return wire does not cooperateseparately, and hence is not led into the various boxes or buildingsfrom which the opera- .tions take place.

and is mounted upon a spindle and cotiper- The mechanism at the centralor receiving station comprises means whereby currents of the twopolarities may be separately sent to line, and also a device such as isshown in my Patent No. 696,140, the function of which is as describedhereafter that the rupturaof the circuit at any sub-station results in abreak of the line at a point located at the main station, said breakcontinuing until after the operation at the main station has resulted incausing the release of the operated box by means of a current ofopposite polarity.

The operation is as follows :A current of, say, plus polarity isnormally flowing through the line, and in those stations in which themachine is not set, this current flows through the shunt C, 101, S, S115 116 and out to the next stations, and at the last of these it makesa suitable return but on breaking the shunt at the contacts S, S whenteleseme is set, the current innuediately flows through the relay M. M.through one of the two branches as the case may bethat isthrough magnetM. and 108 or through the shunt 107, armature of relay, 100 and fromwhere these branches unite through switch lever S, K, 117 and out, andif the armature of relay is making contact with T, it will be drawn toT, thus opening the shunt around magnet M. This magnet is then energizedand the armature A is attracted, and this frees the switch lever S sothat this breaks contact with K and hence breaks connection with theline beyondthus cutting out all chance of interference from operationsat more distant stations, and, of course, breaks the main circuit, andin this line, located at the central station, is a magnet, which, uponthis deenergization of the line, operates suitable mechanism to permitthis break to continue, as, for instance, by dropping the hinged bar 26shown down upon the pair of contact springs 26, so as to separate theseand thus break the circuit until the bar is replaced, that is, until,for the purpose of the operation of the system, as described hereafter,it is again closed. As the result of this break at central, the armatureA of the box described falls down on the top of the switching lever Sand this completes its circuit through the teleseme to earth; wire 118,magnet M, 119, brush 106, tooth of wheel, arbor, 109 and earth; it beingnoted that the break wheel and the adjuncts of the gearing are sorelated that when the teleseme is in a set conditionthat is, incondition where the detent holds it ready to be released by the usualteleseme mechanism in telesemes of this type, the break spring 106 restsupon a conducting tooth whereas when the teleseme has been released asdescribed below, a suitable arrangement arrests the wheel in such aposition that this brush will rest between two teeth thus leavingtheteleseme on open circuit. But, upon setting the teleseme, the circuit,although completed at the sub-station, is open at the central station byaction of the circuit breaker referred to above, and, therefore, theteleseme does not release. The central operator, when the mechanismoperates to show him that the line has been broken at the centralstation (as described), presses a key, which sends to line a current ofopposite to normal polarity. This immediately attracts armature of relayfrom T to T, thus short-circuiting magnet M, the armature A of which is,therefore, not attracted, and, hence, remains in contact with the groundbranch containing the teleseme. The current, therefore, passes fromswitching lever S through armature A, through teleseme to earth, and isof suitable character to cause the teleseme to be released; now, justbefore the teleseme reaches its normal posit-ion of rest, the armature Aof the magnet M being attracted, a suitably adjusted extension catchesin the pin P in the face of the break wheel, and holds the break wheelin that position. This, of course, produces a pause in the signal, whichcontinues as long as the circuit is made, and thus notifies the centralthat the teleseme has reached this final stage of its operation.Central, on receiving this pause, simply lifts his hand from the key,and the circuit is broken, whereupon the detent falls out of the way,and the teleseme then continues its return motion to Zero, replacing theswitching lever S, (the pin P, rocking this upon its pivot), and alsoremaking the shunt circuit through springs S, S, and at the same timebreaking connection to earth at two points, namely, by the telesemerunning down so that its contact brush rests between two teeth and thusleaves an open circuit; and by the armature A falling into its normalposition, (the tip of the armature A being insulated.)

The means just described effect, first, that the more distant telesemesare again connected to the main line and second that an unmistakablyrecognizable division is produced between the operation of successiveboxes.

The central operator, after taking his hand from the key as above,replaces the circuit-breaking mechanism. This makes circuit again with acurrent of the first described polarity, and at all those sub-stationsat which telesemes are set, the armature A will be attracted, but as thecircuit will be immediately broken again as the switching levers S aretripped, the drop in central will fall back again. Now, as the switchinglevers, when tripped, break the circuit to the line beyond, it followsthat the station nearest the central, in which the switching lever hasbeen tripped, will be put in circuit through its completed ground branchand will be released when the central station operator upon repeatingthe routine described takes the next step and sends a minus current toline.

It is evident that no station lying between the station just designatedand the central station can interfere with the circuit while the saidteleseme is being released, because the current, which is the only onethat can reach the teleseme magnet to release it, also draws thearmature of relay M M toward T, and, therefore, closes the shunt aroundmagnet M; thus rendering M unenergizable, and, therefore, the switchinglever S in all other boxes is mechanically blocked and cannot beoperated to connect in the ground branch containing the teleseme and itsreleasing magnet. Of course, no substations beyond the substation inwhich the teleseme was being released could interfere, as they are cutout by the switches, S, S and S" during the entire period of operationof any and all telesemes located at points nearest the central.

It is to be noted that the plus current is the normal condition of thecircuit when at rest, but when any action takes place this current is ofonly momentary duration and that its function is, as to the centralstation, to inaugurate the circuit changes thereat (and in someorganizations incidentally to inform the operator there of the setcondition of a teleseme) and, as to the control of the telesemes, toraise the armatures A so that they shall permit such telesemes as mayhave been set, to be ready to establish their respective groundconnections upon the return of said armatures following the break in thecircuit which succeeds the momentary plus current. Such groundconnection will not, however, be established until after its switchingmagnet M has been operated to lift A and subsequently caused to drop itwhen the plus current has been followed by a break succeeded by theminus current whose function it is to energize M and release theteleseme.

Summary.

1st. Conditions when only one teleseme has been set prior to beginningof operations at eentral.Current is normal (plus) and relay breaks shortcircuit 100 around magnet M so that this lifts its armature A to freelever S therefore at the first instant of operation the main shunt S, Sis broken but branch 117 still connects circuit to its final return atlast station and upon attraction of A as described this second branch isbroken at K and hence circuit is broken and central oflice apparatusbreaks the circuit permanently thereat while armature A falls back andlocally grounds the -set teleseme-- this condition continuing untilsubsequent &

control by central. Upon release of the teleseme all parts are restoredas described.

2nd. Conditions when several telesemes have been set prior to beginningof operations at eentral.Tl1e normal current is plus i for the firstteleseme to be setafter this has been set there is no currenthence othertelesemes will operate as follows:-lhe first branch 115 to more distantstations will be broken mechanically when stress of pin P is removedfrom S but the second branch 117 will remain closed (thus preservingcontinuity) until a plus current is sent from central whereupon at allstations which have not been set the circuit is shunted around allmagnets through S, S but in all set telesemes their respective magnets Mwill simultaneously lift their armatures A thus permitting all levers Sto fall under said armatures thus in each case breaking the circuitbeyond and hence the main circuitand hence causing the magnets A to dropback and complete the grounds through the respective telesemes-henceonly the nearest teleseme will be left in operative circuit and henceready to be released upon the readmittance of current (which will beminus). Upon this readmittance the magnet M will be short circuited byits relay thus preventing its breaking the ground branch and the magnetM will release the teleseme. The provision for a final pause preventspremature connection of the next more distant teleseme which by thearrangement described is connected in by the reclosing of the breaks atS, S and S K mechanically, during the cessation in current controlledfrom the central. Thereafter the above described operation is repeatedfor each set teleseme with the result that the set teleseme which ateach such operation is nearest central is again the first to bereleased.

3rd. C'ond-itions while telesemes are being set during manipulation atcentral (following the setting of the first teleseme set). A: Telesemesbeyond this first set teleseme are all cut ofi' by bothpaths S, S and K,S and Will not be in circuit again until end of its operation. B:Telesemes nearer central may happen to be set while current is plus,minus or absent (while central drop is down;) if set when current isplus, magnet M will attract its armature and lever switch S" will becarried under armature A ready for local ground through teleseme to beestablished when current is broken and armature A falls back; telesemeis ready to be released by next minus current; also connection beyondwill have been broken through both paths-at K and at S, S thereforeirrespective of the relative time of setting, the nearest teleseme tocentral which has been set prior to the admission of the minus currentwill be the first to be released, and no act at any more distant stationcan interfere with its operation; (Z1) if set when the current is minus(2'. 6. while a. more distant teleseme. is being released) its operationwill be postponedits magnet M will be short circuited (be cause itsrelay will be attracted to T) and armature A will remain as a block tolever S and no ground will then be established nor will line beyond bebroken and hence no interference is possible with a more distantteleseme which is being released; if set when no current is in line (2'.c. after central drop has fallen) the same results will follow.

The armature A of magnet M controls the final pause and also the usualteleseme detent unless otherwise constructed.

The circuit breaking drop at the central station should be sufiicientlyquick in its operation, and should be so constructed that when thecentral operator replaces the drop, he cannot hold it up; thisadjustment or any other suitable adjustment) is called for so as toprevent. premature partial release of a teleseme, which may be in a setcondition at the instant of the completion of the operation from a moredistant station, and therefore when thereafter the plus current is inline. This possible release of the teleseme by a plus current might beavoided by any other suitable adjustment. The proper manipulation by thecentral operator, to prevent this accident when using the species ofreplacing device chosen for illustration, is to raise arm 26, not bygrasping and lifting it, but by giving the end a sudden flip upward withthe finger, so that the initial force of this flip may sufiice to raisethe arm high enough for the armature hook to enter the slot which issupposed to be cutin the arm 26 according to the well known constructionof similar magnetic drop devices.

The receiving operator receives a signal which consists of makes andbreaks by means of any suitable apparatus, for instance one controlledas by a magnet C of my said Patent 696.140.

It may be noticed that the result of the operation of the systemdescribed will be that the various boxes operated will be noninterferingand will operate successively, and that the boxes contain elements for asignal transmission pro-per, and also elements acting to postpone thistransmission when any other box is operating, and also .means whereby itseveral of such boxes are postponed because some other box is operating,these postponed boxes will begin to operate, not at the same time (theresult of which would be that they would mutually mutilate theirrespective signals) but one at a time, producing an orderly successivedelivery.

I have describedonly one form of mechanism, but I have devised variousother forms, and I consider any form of mechanism, which includes theelements recited, as coming within the scope of my invention.

In the following claims I mean by the words single line a system inwhich only one wire passes through each station on its way from thestation on one side and on its way to a stat-ion on the other side thusexcluding wires which may pass from the first to the last station of aseries without passing through each intermediate station and alsoexcluding local ground or other local connections.

By the term succession or successive or equivalents whether inconnection or not in connection with the words non interference I meanthat the signals of several operated boxes or stations are received insequence and not merely that one signal is not interfered with by theoperation of another.

By the terms simultaneous, or approximately simultaneous, or partlysimultaneous time limits I desire it understood that I mean to cover asincluded within my invention such operations or settings of two or moreboxes as will take place not merely where the starting lever or otherequivalent element-s is operated within the same fraction of a second intwo boxes but where such a lever is started to be set on the second boxbefore the first box has entirely finished its operation of transmissionin constructions which but for my invention would produce interferenceunder similar conditions of operation.

hat I claim is:

1. A single line signaling system comprising a receiving station and aplurality of transmitting stations each provided with characteristictransmitting elements and with mechanism cooperating with the system andacting both to prevent the signal from a station subsequently set frominterrupting the signal transmitted from a prior operated station andalso to enable the complete signals of all stations set within partlysimultaneous time limits to be received sucressively without confusion,substantially as described.

2. A single line signaling system comprising a plurality of transmittingstations each provided with characteristic transmitting elementsconstructed to be set by the signaling operator under all conditions,and mechanism cooperating with the system and acting both to prevent thesignal from a station subsequently set from interrupting the signaltransmitted from a prior operated station and to enable the completesignals of all stations set within partly simultaneous time limits to bereleased only one at a time, substantially as described.

3. A single line signaling system comprising a receiving station and aplurality of transmitting stations each provided with characteristictransmitting elements constructed to be set by the signaling operatorunder all conditions, and mechanism cooperating with the system to giveprecedence if it has not operated to a station nearer to the receivingstation and subsequently set and to prevent a nearer stationfrominterfering after commencing to transmit a characteristic signal,substantially as described.

4. A single line signaling system comprising a receiving station and aplurality of transmitting stations each provided with characteristictransmitting elements and with a mechanism cooperating to prevent thetransmission of the characteristic signals from a near station after amore distant station has begun to transmit its characteristic signal andhas reached a certain stage in its transmission, and in which the nearerstations will thereafter separately transmit their signals,substantially as described.

5. A single line signaling system comprising a receiving station and aplurality of transmitting stations each provided with characteristlctransmitting elements and with a mechanism cooperating to prevent thetransmission of the characteristic signal from a near station after amore distant station has begun to transmit its characteristic signal andhas reached a certain stage in its transmission and to thereafterseparately permit the transmission of signals from the near stations inthe order of their distance from the receiving station but only afterstations still beyond the said distant station if such have been set,substantially as described.

6. A single line signaling system comprising a receiving station andaplurality of transmitting stations each provided with characteristictransmitting elements and with a circuit controlling mechanism toprevent local operation from affecting the signal which at that momentmay be received at the receivinostation from any other station and mecanism cooperating with mechanism at the receiving station to enable itsown signal to be properly received as the result of the first act ofsetting in any simultaneous operation of three or more stations andWithout mutilation by the normal operation of another station,substantially as described.

7. A single line series signaling system having a plurality oftransmitting stations each provided with a signaling device and meansfor preventing while transmitting the interfering operation of anotherstation comprising an electro-magnet, a normally closed shunt around theelectro-magnet, means for breaking the shunt before any main circuitinterruptions can be produced, and a break in the main circuit and alocal ground controlled by the magnet, substantially as described.

8. A single line series signaling system having a plurality oftransmitting stations each provided with a signaling device and meansfor preventing while transmitting the interfering operation of anotherstation comprising an electro-magnet, a normally closed shunt around theelectro-magnet, means for breaking the shunt before any main circuitinterruptions can be produced, and a break in the main circuit and alocal ground controlled by the armature of the clectro-magnet throughintermediate devices, substantially as described.

9. A series of signaling stations each having a signaling device, acontrolling electromagnet, a local circuit including the signalingdevice and magnet, and a switch in the local circuit organized tomechanically hold the armature of the magnet in an abnormal positionduring the operation of the signaling device, substantially asdescribed.

10. A single line series signaling system comprising a receiving stationand three or more signaling stations each having a signaling device andelectro-magnet-ically controlled means for preventing while transmittingthe interfering operation of another station and for so controlling theoperation of the several stations .that when one or more is set oneither side of a prior operated station, the first operated stationfirst completes its operation, and subsequently those set stationsnearer to the receiving station operate thereafter and at the completionof their operation the farther stations operate, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, this specification is signed in the presence oftwo Witnesses on this 19 day of July, 1889.

F. BENEDICT HERZOG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

